Because the arts bring communities to life.
With $160K of support from ECCF’s Creative County Initiative, the Essex County Creative Nonprofit Resiliency Grant Program succeeded in helping forty-seven creative nonprofits weather the early economic devastation of COVID-19, and the CCI creative network continues to grow and strengthen as a result. The Essex County Artist Fund remains open for individual artists economically affected by COVID-19.
IMPACT STATEMENT
The spring season for History Alive, Inc. usually means performing for between 20-30 school groups, who travel to Salem to learn about the Salem witchcraft trials of 1692 through our audience-interactive piece, “Cry Innocent: the People vs. Bridget Bishop”. (This is the average number of audiences for the past 28 years.) Middle schoolers and high schoolers hear the historic testimony which convicted the first person to be executed in the hysteria. They are able to cross-examine the witnesses, the accused, and the magistrate, and then determine, by vote, the outcome of the historic trial, within the educational mantel of the “jury”. Because of COVID-19 all of our audiences after the first week of March canceled, and we expect those on the books through the end of June to do the same. We have committed to keeping our teaching artists on the payroll as long as possible, however, and they have been hard at work creating free content for students and general audiences.
Non-Profit: History Alive, Inc. – Salem
Learn more: https://www.historyalivesalem.com/
Mission: History Alive, Inc. teaches local history through theatre and the arts. Statement History Alive, Inc. is committed to the production of new plays and theatrical scenarios based on true stories from the past. Emphasis is given to interactive theatre so that actors and audience together, through a playful and dynamic way of engaging with history, might broaden their understanding of the present and gain a fresh sense of purpose within their own era. The company also seeks to invigorate the local economy by designing activities which connect the community and its visitors to a distinct, local history. Come play your part with us!
Learn more about the Essex County Community Foundation
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